Last piece in curling puzzle

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SUN MEDIA

May 21, 2009

, Last Updated: 9:52 AM ET

The last piece of their puzzle is now in place.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that Manitoba's Jason Gunnlaugson filled out his team with a second rather than an experienced skip as he prepares to play in the Olympic trials qualifying spiel in Prince George, B.C., this November.

Gunnlaugson has added promising young junior Braden Zawada, who skipped his own squad into the 2009 Safeway Championship after competing in the provincial juniors.

"We definitely wanted somebody around our own age and from our province," said Gunnlaugson, who parted ways with skip Daley Peters after last season.

So, Gunnlaugson will skip, with Justin Richter at third.

"We talked about the longer ride and we're looking at this (qualifier) as experience," said Gunnlaugson, who did not consider any player over 30. "We have a reasonable shot of making it to the second round (Canadian Curling Trials) but making it to the Olympics would be a miracle."

Manitoba's Jeff Stoughton, Kerry Burtnyk and Mike McEwen will also be among the 12 teams competing for the final four spots into the Olympic trials at the qualifier.